Bills suspend assistant coach for 6 games.
Kromer banned six games for incident
The Buffalo Bills suspended offensive line coach Aaron Kromer without pay for the first six games of the regular season for violating the National Football League’s personal conduct policy.
The suspension was announced Sunday night by Bills President Russ Brandon. The disciplinary action comes two days after prosecutors in Florida dropped a battery charge against Kromer for allegedly punching a boy in the face for using his beach chairs last month.
The Bills placed Kromer on paid leave July 14, two days after he was arrested. Kromer, however, will rejoin the team at training camp.
His suspension will begin Sept. 7, in the week leading up to the Bills’ regular-season opener against Indianapolis. The suspension will run through Buffalo’s game against Cincinnati on Oct. 18.
Wagner cashes in: Bobby Wagner was patient to a point.
The all-pro middle linebacker was willing to sit back and let the Seattle Seahawks finish up their contract negotiations with Russell Wilson.
But once Wilson’s payday was taken care of, Wagner wanted to know if his future was in Seattle.
“I’m thankful for it. If I would have waited any longer I probably wouldn’t have been as patient,” Wagner said.
Two days after expressing displeasure at not having an extension in hand, Wagner was basking Sunday at being the highest-paid middle linebacker in football after signing a four-year extension worth a reported $43 million.
The deal was signed late Saturday night.
Mount Bryant erupts: Dez Bryant and Dallas cornerback Tyler Patmon had to be separated in a heated exchange that lasted several minutes before quarterback Tony Romo finally stepped in and calmed his star receiver late in practice at training camp in Oxnard, Calif.
Bryant, who has a history of sideline antics that include screaming at coaches and teammates, went after Patmon several times after it appeared the incident during 11-on-11 drills was over.
When practice ended a few minutes later, coach Jason Garrett spoke briefly to Bryant, who then walked over to Patmon and hugged him.
Bryant said he “got a little overheated.”
Reese has little to say on Pierre-Paul: The New York Giants’ revamped defense is going to surprise people this season, even without injured star defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, general manager Jerry Reese said.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since players reported, Reese refused to say much about Pierre-Paul, whose status for the season remains in question after he injured his right hand in a fireworks incident on July 4 in Florida.
“I am going to say this, I wish Jason nothing but the best,” Reese said.
The Giants have not been allowed to examine PierrePaul, and their contact with the 26-year-old whom they designated a franchise player earlier this year also has been limited. They have no idea when he will be ready to play this season.
Bradford takes the field: Sam Bradford was full-go on the first day of training camp.
Bradford participated in all the quarterback drills with the Philadelphia Eagles. He didn’t even wear a brace on his twice surgically repaired left knee.
“It’s a big step,” Bradford said. “It’s been almost a year since I’ve been on the field.”